New ships and more port calls signal a busy Australian and New Zealand cruise season ahead

Australia will welcome a proud fleet of 62 spectacular cruise ships this summer, bringing billions of dollars in economic activity to dozens of ports and destinations around the country.

CLIA: End of cruise suspension signals revival for thousands of Australians

Australia will begin rebuilding its multi-billion-dollar cruise industry after this weekend, as cruise lines work to bring back economic opportunities for thousands of local businesses throughout the country.

Australia ready for bumper 2019-20 cruise season

Australia is gearing up for a packed 2019-20 cruise season, with new vessels, extended visits and more than 60 ships on offer in one of the busiest summers experienced on the southern seas.

Four CLIA cruise lines will introduce first-time arrivals this year, joining regular visitors, home-ported vessels and one new cruise brand making its debut in Australian waters.

Carnival Splendor arriving later this year to become
the newest and largest ship homeported year-round in Australia

“This summer will undoubtedly be one of the busiest and most diverse cruise seasons we’ve ever experienced in Australia,” said Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Australasia Managing Director Joel Katz.

“The choice in cruise lines and ships is broader than ever and the range of itineraries offered this year will ensure the economic benefits of cruise tourism are spread far around the country and throughout our region,” he said. “This will be backed by significant infrastructure improvements in regional ports like Broome, Cairns and Eden, making them more attractive to both cruise lines and passengers well into the future.”

New to Australia this year is Dream Cruises which will operate its Explorer Dream in local waters for the first time. Sailing from Sydney, the ship will offer a series of Queensland coastal itineraries before crossing the Tasman for a season of New Zealand cruises from Auckland. It will then return to Sydney for a series of Tasmania cruises before returning to Asia via Cairns and Darwin.

Princess Cruises will have its largest-ever season in Australia with the maiden visit of Ruby Princess, joining Majestic Princess which has returned for her second season. Princess will also offer its Golden Princess, Sun Princess and Sea Princess. During her first local season, Ruby Princess will make 18 maiden visits to Australian and New Zealand ports.

Carnival Cruise Line also welcomes a newcomer, with Carnival Splendor arriving later this year to become the newest and largest ship homeported year-round in Australia. Sailing from Sydney, Carnival Splendor will join sister ship Carnival Spirit before Spirit relocates to Brisbane in October next year.

Wind Spirit will make its Australian debut (supplied)

Windstar Cruises will bring its four-masted sailing ship Wind Spirit to Australia for the first time next year, arriving in Cairns after a crossing from New Caledonia. The ship will then sail onwards through the Torres Strait and across the Top End to Darwin before heading to Indonesia.

Royal Caribbean International will bring three ships to the region this summer, including the recently modernised Voyager of the Seas and the largest ship to operate in Australia this season, Ovation of the Seas. They will be joined by Radiance of the Seas and together will operate 61 sailings to destinations in Australia, New Zealand, the South Pacific and Asia.

Regent Seven Seas will have three vessels in Australian waters this summer: Seven Seas Voyager, Seven Seas Navigator and Seven Seas Mariner. The trio will offer itineraries to local Australian ports, New Zealand, Asia and the South Pacific, with Seven Seas Mariner visiting as part of her 2020 World Cruise.

They will be joined by visiting ships from sister brands, Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Jewel and Oceania Cruises’ Regatta, both of which will sail a variety of itineraries to ports in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific.

The Australia-based P&O Cruises fleet – Pacific Explorer, Pacific Dawn and Pacific Aria – will offer an extensive season in the region, sailing from Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide as part of the line’s year-round presence. Together the ships will make a total of 202 calls to Australian ports.

Other lines with a big presence in Australia this season include Holland America Line which will have three ships in local waters: Noordam, Maasdam, and Amsterdam - the latter on her world voyage. Between them, the trio will make 75 calls to ports around Australia.

Celebrity Cruises returns this year with Celebrity Solstice to offer her eighth season in local waters. The ship will visit several new destinations including Eden on NSW South Coast, Port Vila in Vanuatu and Mare in New Caledonia – a maiden call for Celebrity Cruises.

Azamara will mark its fifth local season with Azamara Journey offering a series of sailings around New Zealand, Australia and Asia. The line will introduce several new South Pacific ports of call on route to Australia, including New Plymouth and Doubtful Sound in New Zealand.

Cunard returns once more this season with Queen Elizabeth based in Australia for a record 101 days from December to March. Sister ship Queen Mary 2 will spend 18 days in local waters visiting eight ports from Darwin to Sydney and across to Fremantle as part of her 99-night world cruise.

Luxury line Seabourn also returns with several sailings aboard Seabourn Encore, which will make maiden calls to destinations including Portland in Victoria, Hobart, Adelaide and Kangaroo Island. Sister ship Seabourn Sojourn will visit as part of a world cruise, visiting six local ports including Brisbane and Airlie beach for the first time.

Small-ship luxury operator Ponant will offer an extensive program aboard its 184-passenger Le Laperouse, visiting Darwin, Cairns, Sydney and Hobart. It will also sail an expedition cruise from Hobart to Dunedin in New Zealand via the Sub Antarctic Islands before heading north for a series of Kimberley voyages between Darwin and Broome.

Silversea Cruises will offer its newest ship Silver Muse, sailing between Sydney and Auckland for a number of itineraries that include the north-east coast of Australia, New Zealand and several maiden calls in the South Pacific. It will be joined by Silver Whisper next year as part of its world cruise, which continues to Singapore via ports in Australia and Asia.

Crystal Cruises will welcome its 980-passenger Crystal Serenity to Australia as part of a world cruise of 105 nights. The luxury vessel will arrive in Sydney after a visit to New Zealand and will then sail up the East Coast via destinations including Mooloolaba, Hardy Reef, Airlie Beach, Cairns and Darwin.

MSC Cruises will welcome its MSC Magnifica in March as part of a world cruise, visiting ports including Hobart and an overnight stay in Sydney before heading north for maiden calls to Cairns and Darwin.

Coral Expeditions will offer its flagship Coral Adventurer alongside Coral Discoverer and Coral Expeditions II, operating a program of itineraries to destinations including the Great Barrier Reef, The Kimberley, Tasmania, Cape York, Arnhem Land, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand.

Other visitors to Australian waters this year include AIDA Cruises’ AIDAaura and AIDAvita, Costa Cruises’ Costa Deliziosa, Hapag Lloyd’s Bremen and Europa, and Fred Olsen Cruise Lines’ Boudicca.

Source: Cruise Lines International Association

Cruise Growth Continues Despite Infrastructure Constraints

Australia has continued its long run of cruising growth with a total of 1.35 million Australians taking an ocean cruise during 2018, a slight increase on the previous year's record.

However, growth slowed to just 0.9 per cent year-on-year, according to the 2018 Ocean Source Market report for Australia released today by Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), reflecting capacity constraints associated with a shortage of berthing infrastructure in Sydney.

Despite the lower growth, the result still showed a higher number of Australians choosing a cruising holiday than ever before. Nearly one in every 17 Aussies, or 5.8 per cent of the population, took a cruise last year, giving Australia the highest market penetration rate of the world's major established cruise markets – ahead of the US (4.0%), the UK (3.0%) and Germany (2.8%).

Cruising in local waters (Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific) grew by just 0.1% over figures for 2017, reflecting current infrastructure constraints. But this was offset by growth of 3.4% in the number of Australians taking fly-cruise options in destinations further afield, indicating demand remains strong in the Australian market.




"Cruising continues to be exceptionally popular among Australian travellers after many years of growth and world-leading market penetration," said CLIA Australasia Managing Director Joel Katz. "A lack of berthing capacity in Sydney has hampered cruise lines' efforts to expand their operations in local waters, but the increasing number of Australians flying to ports overseas shows the market is still strong and holds great potential for the future."

CLIA's report says a subdued growth trend will continue in the short term into 2019, but it predicts a return to stronger growth in the near future.

"Cruise lines have already announced significant new vessel deployments in this region from the 2020-21 season, with smaller, older ships to be replaced with newer, larger options," Mr Katz said. "Combined with the construction of a new International Cruise Terminal in Brisbane and other projects announced in Cairns, Eden and Broome, this is expected to reignite growth in the Australian market."

Mr Katz said the development of new berthing facilities in Sydney remained the most urgent infrastructure priority for the cruise sector in Australasia, and that the industry looked forward to further announcements on the NSW Government's Cruise Development Plan.

Other findings from the 2018 Ocean Source Market report include:

NSW still represented more than half the Australian ocean cruise market (53%), but its share fell as popularity grew in other states, with Qld contributing 22% and Vic 13%.
The average age of the Australian cruise passenger remained steady at 49 years.
Growth in short domestic cruises lowered the average cruise length, which was down from 9.1 days in 2017 to 8.8 days in 2018.

In the inbound market, about 200,000 people came from other regions to cruise in Australasian waters in 2018, more than half from North America.

The majority of Australians cruised within Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific (76.6%). Europe/Mediterranean was the most popular long-haul destination (8.1%), followed by North America/Caribbean/Alaska/Hawaii (7.3%) and Asia (5.4%).

Worldwide, 28.5 million people took a cruise in 2018, a 6.7% increase on the previous year. This figure is forecast to break the 30 million barrier in 2019.

To download a copy of CLIA's 2018 Ocean Source Market report for Australia, click here

Cruise industry CLIA award winners #TheCLIAs

The big achievers of the Australasian cruising world have been named at this year’s annual Cruise Industry Awards, the biggest night of the year for the Australian and New Zealand cruise community.

Held by Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Australasia, the gala dinner and awards night attracted more than 500 guests to Sydney’s Star Event Centre on Saturday and helped mark another successful year in the thriving cruise sector. A total of 20 honours were presented in an evening hosted by actor and singer Tim Campbell, including awards for travel agencies and individuals from across both countries.

CLIA reveals Cruise Industry Awards finalists

Overall winners to be named at industry night of nights in Sydney next month.

Cruise Lines International Association has just released details of the 71 finalists in the 18th annual Cruise Industry Awards.

This year the awards are being conducted under a revamped judging process, with more than 500 submissions considered in the 12 categories open for nomination.

CLIA Australasia Managing Director, Joel Katz, said the standard of entries this year had been particularly high, adding: "the one thing that has become clear from submissions this year is that travel agents are more engaged and dedicated than ever before".

Cruise Month Sets Sail Down Under with an Ocean of Deals

The world’s largest cruise promotion has begun and with the latest research showing that Australians love to cruise and they love a deal, the nation is bracing for a holiday booking frenzy.

All over the world October is Cruise Lines International Association’s (CLIA) annual Plan a Cruise Month promotion and in its second year, the month-long industry-wide promotion is set to be bigger and better with local and international cruise lines offering a range of promotions to encourage holidaymakers to make their next holiday a cruise.

A recent poll by the world’s largest cruise site, Cruise Critic, found that finding a deal was the next biggest deciding factor for Australians and New Zealanders when booking a cruise, once the destination was decided. Some 40 per cent of respondents in the local poll looked for a deal, nearly 30 per cent focussed on convenient dates, 27 per cent turned to positive reviews and the remaining five per cent listened to family and friends’ recommendations.

“Price is a big deal for Aussies and Kiwis, especially first-time cruisers who aren’t ready to invest in a style of travel they’ve never tried before. But the most important thing is value – remember, a cruise fare includes your onboard accommodation and most of your food, activities and entertainment. Travel agents often have access to special deals so it pays to talk to someone who specialises in cruising and to research cruise websites,” Australia Editor Cruise Critic Louise Goldsbury said.

One of the fastest growing industries down under, the local ocean cruise market has experienced double digit growth over the past decade with nearly 1.3 million Australians taking a cruise each year, according to the latest figures from regional cruise industry body, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Australasia.

With CLIA industry research also finding that more than eight out of ten travellers use a travel agent to plan and book a cruise holiday, CLIA Australasia & Asia Managing Director Joel Katz said using a CLIA accredited travel agent during Plan a Cruise Month was the best way to plan and book a cruise.

“Our latest research shows that one in 19 Australians are taking a holiday at sea each year, highlighting that ocean cruising is increasingly becoming the nation’s holiday of choice and Plan a Cruise Month is a great time to find out what all the excitement is about. Cruising is an easy, fun and great value way to travel, with guests only unpacking once while the world comes to them and even the cheapest cruises including main meals, accommodation, entertainment and transport in the fare. Whether it’s a romantic getaway, a solo sojourn or an all-in family holiday, there is a ship and an itinerary to suit and a CLIA accredited agent is in the best position to match holidaymakers with the right cruise holiday,” Mr Katz said.

For anyone considering their first cruise or keen to book their next, Mr Katz said October was the best time to plan a cruise with great value available across a range of ocean cruises.

From discounts to onboard credit, special cruise deals this October include:

• Royal Caribbean is offering savings of up to 40 per cent and up to US$100 onboard credit during Plan a Cruise Month
• Princess Cruises is offering savings of up to $2100 per stateroom on select cruises across Europe, Alaska, Asia, Japan, the Americas, Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific
• Norwegian Cruise Line is offering a range of add ons for anyone who books a cruise of three nights or longer including a free beverage package, free specialty dining package, shore excursion credit, free wifi and a reduced rate for friends and family
• Celebrity Cruises is offering a free Classic Beverage Package for two plus US$300 onboard credit per stateroom
• MSC is offering 50 per cent off for the second passenger on select departures in the Mediterranean, Arabian Peninsula, Northern Europe, the Caribbean and repositioning cruises.
• Plan a Cruise Month takes place each October with CLIA offices around the world working with CLIA accredited agents and CLIA member cruise lines to promote cruise holidays.

Ensuring October is officially becoming known as ‘cruise month’ down under, the month also marks the start of the cruise season in Australia with the first international ships arriving for the summer. This season Australia will see around 60 ships cruising local waters.

For more information about Cruise Month or to find a CLIA accredited agent please visit www.cruising.org.au

2017 State of the Cruise Industry Outlook and Cruise Travel Trends Forecast

The global headquarters of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) has released the 2017 State of the Cruise Industry Outlook, detailing a steady pace of cruise travel interest and significant investment in the industry. CLIA, the world’s largest cruise industry trade association, is also predicting the top eight cruise travel trends that will have an impact on the industry in the coming year. 

Increase in cruise travel is expected to continue throughout 2017, with an estimated 25.3 million passengers expected to sail in 2017, a strong surge from 15.8 million just 10 years prior (2007).

More ships will set sail in 2017 as well, with CLIA reporting that cruise lines are scheduled to debut 26 new ocean, river and specialty ships in 2017 for a total investment of more than US$6.8 billion in new vessels*.

From 2017-2026 the industry is expected to introduce a total of 97 new cruise ships totalling an estimated investment of US$53 billion through 2026*.

“The cruise industry is responding to global demand and we are highly encouraged by both the short-term and long-term outlook,” CLIA global President and CEO Cindy D’Aoust said.

“From technological advancements and deployment of new ships to new ports and destinations around the world, the industry continues to respond to desires of today’s travellers resulting in steady growth and strong economic impact around the world.”

Cruise industry expenditures generated US$117 billion in total output worldwide, supporting 956,597 full-time equivalent employees who earned US$38 billion in income in 2015.

As part of the 2017 State of the Cruise Industry Outlook, CLIA has forecast the top eight cruise travel trends that are set to have the most impact on the cruise industry this coming year.

New Generation Takes to the Water – A recent study found that younger generations—including Millennials and Generation X — will embrace cruise travel more than ever before, rating it as better than land-based holidays, all-inclusive resorts, tours, holiday house rentals, or camping.

Travel Agent Use Increases – CLIA is forecasting that travel agents will continue to be the matchmakers between travellers and cruise lines in 2017. Today, there are more than 25,000 CLIA-member travel agents globally compared to 12,000 in 2010. CLIA also found that cruisers report high levels of satisfaction with their travel experience when assisted by an agent. 

River Cruise Demand Increases – River cruises offer travellers a unique and intimate travel experience. Due to demand, CLIA cruise line members currently deploy 184 river cruise ships with 13 new river cruise ships on order for 2017, an increase of about 7 per cent.

More Private Islands on Cruise Itineraries – As more cruise lines introduce private island destinations, travellers are responding and booking these itineraries. In 2017, cruise lines offer ports on a total of seven private islands.

New Cruisers Will Take to the Sea – Interest in ocean cruising is projected to remain strong in 2017.

Drivable Port Locations in Favour – The cruise industry offers a variety of small and large market port location options across the United States and internationally. Citing the advantages of myriad

Locations, seven out of ten (69 per cent) non-cruisers believe the greatest benefit is cost savings and three-quarters (74 per cent) of cruisers like the convenience of driving to a cruise ship.

Lure of Celebrity Chefs – Cruise travellers are embracing specialty dining and will continue to consider cruise dining experiences based upon celebrity chefs.

Demand for Expedition Cruises – According to the Adventure Travel Trade Association, adventure travel is growing at a record pace and CLIA is reporting that cruise expeditions are seeing the impact. In fact, itineraries for Antarctica regularly sell out.

For more information on CLIA’s 2017 State of the Cruise Industry Outlook, please visit http://cruising.org/about-the-industry/research/2017-state-of-the-industry/ .

For more information, visit www.cruising.org or follow Cruise Lines International Association on CLIA Facebook and Twitter pages.


* This represents the entire cruise industry, not only CLIA cruise line Members

Studies, reports and methodology available at cruising.org